Prison chief rejects governor’s claims

THE head of the prison service has flatly rejected claims by the resigning governor of the women’s prison that her views and communication over the jail were ignored.

Brian Purcell admitted that he and outgoing governor Kathleen McMahon had clashed over the release of inmates at the Dóchas Centre, but he insisted she had been consulted about the temporary release of prisoners and overcrowding at the north Dublin jail.

Both the two prison officials aired their grievances on RTÉ Radio yesterday, with Ms McMahon alleging that emails she sent raising her concerns about the introduction of bunk beds and other issues had not been responded to.

The Dóchas Centre governor is set to leave her job as head of the only women’s prison in the state at the end of her term in May and in recent days hit out strongly at senior management over conditions there.

Mr Purcell said he would not accept Ms McMahon’s claims that she had been forced out and he insisted that said she had been consulted on governance issues.

However, Ms McMahon’s resignation and claims have caused concern.

Socialist MEP Joe Higgins said the resignation had highlighted the Victorian conditions operating in the prison system.

“Overcrowding is such that an area designed for 85 women regularly houses over 120 prisoners. The result is both inhumane and dangerous for both prisoners and staff,” said the TD.

“We must remember that many of these are in jail for extremely minor offences, with around 4,000 jailed last year for not paying fines and others jailed for being unable to pay back credit union loans.

“Meanwhile, of course, some of the real criminals in our society, including developers and bankers who wrecked the economy with profiteering and speculation in property, walk free.”

Mr Higgins, who was once jailed for protests against bin charges, said that overcrowding in Irish jails had been made worse with thousands jailed annually for relatively minor offences, like non-payment of fines.

“I have seen firsthand the difficult and often dangerous conditions in which prison officers work. The overwhelming evidence suggests that throwing people into jail for relatively minor crimes has not worked.”